Far Away
by StrifeVsTribal
Summary: Songfic to Nickelback. Rated T for language


_Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the lyrics._

_This is my second Nickelback songfic. The first one was kind of a flop. It was rushed and hardly made any sense (maybe because the day I wrote it was the first time I'd heard the song), but I actually planned this one out (well, this one and another one for Cloud and Tifa that I'm working on). Anyway, enough babble from me! Enjoy! ^_^_

**Far Away**

_This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes_

Five weeks… He'd been gone five weeks. Tifa had kept her phone beside her, just in case if by some miracle, Cloud would decide to call. Marlene and Denzel missed him, but they could see how miserable it made Tifa to mention him. Just then, the phone rang.

The three of them looked at the blinking screen. Tifa gave them a half-hearted smile, as she picked the phone up. "False alarm kids. Hello?"

"Hey, Tifa!" Barret said excitedly on the other line. "I'm on my way to get the kids! Be there in 'bout ten minutes, awright?"

"All right," Tifa said, trying to mimic Barret's excitement.

Apparently, Barret picked up on it. "Hasn't called yet, huh?"

"No." Her eyes started to tear up. She didn't want to admit that he hadn't called to anyone but herself; it didn't make her sound as pathetic.

"Tell ya what! I'm gonna kick his spiky-headed ass when he gets back!" Just then, Barret came through the door, and Denzel and Marlene ran over and hugged him.

Tifa went up to her room after the others had left and lay down on her bed. It wasn't fair! How could he treat her like this! After all she did for him! _Maybe…I'm just kidding myself, _she thought. _Maybe I shouldn't wait for him anymore._ Tears rolled across her cheeks. She couldn't just walk away, couldn't just abandon the children. She was the only mother they had now. And she wanted Cloud to be more of a father to them, damn it! _But, they don't deserve someone who's not going to be there…_ Still pondering this, Tifa fell into an uneasy sleep.

_  
__Too long too late  
Who was I to make you wait_

Cloud couldn't believe that he'd been away for over a month. It hadn't _felt_ that long to him. He had thought about just going back to Midgar and not finishing the deliveries, but he needed the money. He needed to help out with school for Marlene and Denzel, and Tifa had talked about adding onto the bar. She'd been getting more and more regulars ever since the Geostigma had been cured.

He was afraid to call, though. Sure, he cared deeply for Tifa, more than she would probably ever know. If Cloud called now, he would _have _to admit his true feelings, and he didn't want to tell her over the phone. Sometimes, he wished she would just _stop_ waiting for him. _Screw it,_ Cloud thought to himself, taking his phone out of his pocket.

_  
Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left_

_'Cause you know, you know, you know_

He took a deep breath, as he heard the other line ringing. Cloud's heart began to beat faster at the thought of hearing her voice. After three rings, she didn't answer, but her voicemail did.

I love you  
I've loved you all along  
I miss you  
Been far away for far too long

"Hey, Tifa, it's me," Cloud said softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know you probably hate my guts for not calling, but, uh…I just wanted to say…that, um, I just miss you, Tifa. I'll…I'll be home soon." He sighed and snapped his phone shut. _Coward,_ he thought angrily. _You're a coward, Cloud Strife!_

_  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
And you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore_

He sat up and put his face in his hands. The night sky above just made him think of that promise he'd made to her…a promise that had been broken on more than one occasion. The guilt that Cloud had felt towards Zack and Aeris' deaths was _nothing_ compared to that which he felt now. He didn't deserve her, and he knew that. He knew she made mistakes, but to him, she would always be perfect.

On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of Hell to hold your hand

Cloud sighed again. She had an effect on him that no one else did. He'd go to any length to save her. Hell, he'd dressed up like a woman to make sure some pervert wouldn't touch her (not to mention that he was also hit on by said pervert). He could face monsters, Sephiroth, even himself and not flinch, but a look or a smile from her could bring him to his knees. She was both his strength and his greatest weakness.

_  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything, but I won't give up  
'Cause you know, you know, you know_

_That's it,_ he thought, standing up suddenly and walking out of the room. His _Fenrir_ was waiting for him. Cloud put on his glasses, fired up the motorcycle, and sped off without a backward glance.

That I love you  
I loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long

Tifa woke early that morning, earlier than she would have liked. The clock next to her bed read three thirteen. She shook her head, flipped her phone open, and saw she had one new voicemail. _Probably Barret having trouble getting the kids to sleep, _Tifa thought, smiling slightly. She nearly dropped her phone when she heard whose voice it was.

"_Hey, Tifa, it's me. I know you probably hate my guts for not calling, but, uh…I just wanted to say…that, um, I just miss you, Tifa. I'll…I'll be home soon."_

_  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
And you'd never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore_

Tifa realized that she hadn't taken a breath in over a minute. _How soon was soon, though?_ she thought. _How could one man be so frustrating?_ There were times when she wished that he would just give up the delivery service and be where he was really needed, with her, Marlene, and Denzel. She forgot these thoughts when she heard a familiar rumbling downstairs.

So far away  
So far away  
Far away for far too long

Cloud pulled into the garage, mentally noting to clean the _Fenrir_ up later, and cut off the engine. _Please let the lock be the same, please let the lock be the same,_ he thought, taking out his key and opening the door.

_  
So far away  
So far away  
Far away for far too long_

Tifa didn't care that her hair wasn't combed, that her eyes were swollen from crying, or that her clothes were wrinkled from sleeping in them. All that mattered was him. All that mattered to her right then was seeing him. She half ran, half fell down the stairs, and he was there to catch her at the bottom step.

But you know, you know, you know

Words weren't enough for that first long moment. Cloud didn't care that Tifa was practically strangling him because of how tightly her arms were wrapped around his neck; to be honest, he kind of liked it. In between sobs and sniffles, Tifa noticed that he was hugging her differently. His hands weren't in the middle of her back like she remembered; they were around her waist.

_I wanted_

_I wanted you to stay _

_'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say  
_

"I'm sorry, Tifa," he whispered when she had finally quieted enough to hear him. "I didn't mean to be gone so long…I just…should stop making excuses…" He smiled slightly.

She mirrored his smile. "I got your message."

_Now, tell her now!_ he shouted in his mind. _Before she realizes how pissed off she actually is!_ "About that," Cloud said, trying to find the right words. One of his hands went to the back of his head out of nervousness.

"Yeah?" Tifa asked innocently, trying to clear her face of any emotion. In her head was a completely different story. _Just say it, you chocobo-haired—_

_I love you  
I loved you all along_

He took a deep breath and looked her right in the eye. "I love you, Tifa. I always have, and I always will. I hate the way I've treated you, and I'll spend the rest of my life asking for you to forgive me, if that's what it—"

_  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long_

Tifa interrupted suddenly to kiss him, and she felt his other hand go to the back of her neck. Cloud sighed inwardly when she pulled away slightly. "Does this mean I'm off the hook?" he whispered against her lips, showing the boyish grin that had been hidden for so long.

She grinned back. "Yeah, with me. Marlene and Denzel might be a little harder to convince."

He nodded slowly. "Right…"

"Cloud Strife, you've beaten Sephiroth three times now, defeated his remnants, found the cure for Geostigma, and pretty much saved the entire planet _twice_, and you have the nerve to be afraid of two innocent children?" Tifa asked sarcastically.

"I think another fight with Sephiroth would be easier," he said, chuckling softly. "At least you forgive me, though."

_  
So keep breathing_

_'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it_

_Hold on to me, and never let me go  
_

Tifa wrapped her arms around him and leaned against him. "And I can breathe easier knowing that you're home."

"Home," he repeated. "With the woman I love and two kids that are gonna torture me for weeks." Cloud couldn't remember the last time he had felt this…elated. He felt like another huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and replaced with the beautiful angel in his arms.

Tifa giggled. "I'll be sure to keep the camera handy at all times." She felt as if all the wrongs in the world had been righted by his return.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tifa," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Nowhere far, anyway."

She looked up at his vivid blue eyes. "Promise?"

He smiled at her and sealed that promise with a kiss.

_Ok, I think this one turned out A LOT better than my last one! At least Cloud doesn't sound like an alcoholic. Please let me know how I did ^_^ I always like feedback!_

_Fun Fact: I was actually going to make the "reunion" scene a little more intense, rather than sweet. I had a really good zinger for Tifa to say to Cloud, but I totally forgot it. That made me very upset because I was so excited to use it!_


End file.
